ICTY may hold two trials for Mladic

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [official website] announced on Wednesday that it is considering conducting two trials [daily press briefing] for former Serbian general and alleged war criminal Ratko Mladic [ICTY backgrounder, PDF; JURIST news archive]: one for his conduct during the Srebrenica massacre [JURIST news archive], where approximately 8,000 people were killed, and one for all of his other charges during the Bosnian civil war [JURIST news archive]. Several reasons were given for the motion, including the late capture of Mladic as well as efficiency in convicting him. Reports stated that Mladic's health was also an issue, and the tribunal hoped to successfully prosecute him for the Srebrenica massacre before he dies. The ICTY also announced on Wednesday that Radovan Kardzic [JURIST news archive] would begin the portion of his trial for the Srebrenica massacre in January and that an initial appearance for Goran Hadzic has not been scheduled.

Serbian authorities captured Mladic [JURIST report] in May, ending a 16-year manhunt for the former general colonel and commander of the army of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mladic made his first appearance [JURIST report] at the ICTY in June, contesting the charges while simultaneously asking for more time to review them, which he was granted. At his second appearance [JURIST report] he refused to enter a plea. Before that, he had lost his final appeal in Serbia to avoid extradition, and was transported to The Hague [JURIST reports]. Mladic faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, including murder, political persecution, forcible transfer and deportations, cruel treatment and the taking of peacekeepers as hostages. He is most infamous for allegedly ordering the slaughter of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the massacre of Srebrenica during the Bosnian civil war.

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